PROSE II.

Haec vestium ornamenta quamvis plenis suae splendidilatis flammarent ardoribus.

Although these decorations of the garments flamed with the glow of their own full splendor, yet their

lustre suffered eclipse by the star of the virgin's beauty. The virgin, furthermore, on tiles, with the aid of a reed pen, called up and pictured various images of things. Still the pictures would not keep closely but quickly vanish d to the material beneath them, and died away, leaving no traces. Although she often quickened them and caused them to live, yet they could not endure in the plan of her composition. Now the virgin, as before said, came forth from the bounds of the celestial region, and was borne in her shining chariot toward the lowly dwelling of the suffering world. She was drawn by the birds of Juno herself, which were not disciplined in the service of the yoke, but were united by their own willingness. And a man who towered above the head of the virgin and the chariot, and whose countenance breathed not the commonness of earth, but rather the mystery of godship, aided the weakness of the womanly nature, and guided the approach of the chariot in a well-regulated course. While I was collecting my rays of sight-the maniples, as it were, of my eyes-to contemplate the height of this beauty, they, not daring to meet such grace and majesty, and weakened by the blows of splendor, fled, very fearful, to the tents of the eyelids. At the virgin's coming you would have thought that all the elements were keeping solemn festival, renewing, so to speak, their own natures. The firmament ordered its stars to shine more brightly than their wont, and lit the virgin's path, as it were, with its candles. And because of this the light of day itself was seen to wonder at their great boldness, since it saw them appear almost insolently in its presence. Phoebus, too, assuming a countenance gladder than usual, disclosed and poured out on the approach of the virgin all the riches of his light. To

his sister, also, whom he had deprived of the ornaments of his splendor, he returned the garment of delight, and ordered her to meet the coming queen. The air put away the tearful visage of clouds, and with the favor of a clear face smiled upon the maiden's approach. Tossed at first in the madness of the north wind's anger, now it rested pleasantly in the lap of Favonius. Birds, through some natural inspiration, sported with delightful play of wings, and gave the virgin show of veneration. Juno, who but a little. while before had scorned the embraces of Jove, was so carried away with joy that, with many a laughingly so glance of her eyes, she allured her husband to the, delights of love. The sea, until then tom in tumultuous floods, now observed the coming of the virgin with solemn ceremony, and promised the perpetual peace of rest; for AEolus, that his winds and tempests in her presence should no longer [1] raise civil wars, bound them in his cells. Fish swam out into the upper waters, in so far as the inactivity of their sensual existence permitted, and with joy and delight knew in advance the coming of their mistress. Thetis, celebrating her marriage with Nereus, purposed to conceive another Achilles. And maidens, whose beauty not only stole away the reason of man, but also made the celestials forget their godship, came forth from the places of streams, and, like bearers of tribute, presented little gifts of aromatic nectar to the coming queen. When the virgin had graciously received these, she showed her love for the maidens by the encircling yoke of embraces, and by many a repeated kiss. The earth, lately stripped of its adornments by the thieving winter, through the generosity of spring donned a purple tunic of flowers, that it might

[1] Reading amplius, with Migne.

not, inglorious in ragged vestments, appear to the young virgin unbecomingly. And the spring, like an artisan skilled in weaving, in order the more happily to welcome her approach, wove garments for the trees. and with a sort of bowed These lowered their leaves, veneration as if they were bending their knees, offered her their prayers. Out of them came maidens who enriched the treasures of the actual day by the day of their beauty, and bore in cedar vessels spices prepared from the kinds of herbs that they represent; and, as if paying their tribute to the young virgin, bought her favor with their gifts. Nymphs of the dell filled their laps with flowers, and now reddened the royal chariot with blushing blossoms, now made it lily-like with white flower -leaves. Flora generously presented the virgin with an undergarment of fine linen, which she had worked for her husband, that she might merit his embraces. Proserpine, loathing the couch of her Tartarean spouse, and returning to her native upper world, was unwilling to be denied the presence of her mistress. And the animals of the earth, taught by some natural instinct, on learning of the virgin's approach sported with glad gaiety. So was the sum of all things eager in attention to her, and with wonderful rivalry strove to gain her favor.